Clutch for surgical tables and the like



MalCh 21, 1950 H. R. sl-IAMF'AINE` 2,501,415

cLu'rcH FOR SURGICAL TABLES AND THE LIKE Filed June 7, 1945 f z sheets-sheet 1 WARM FIG!

. INVENToR H YMAN ROBERT'SHAMPAINE Jg BY uv` ATTORNEY March 2l, 1950 H, R, SHAMPNNE 2,501,415

I l CLUTCH FOR SURGICAL-'TABLES AND THE LIKE Filed June '7, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNvENToR HYMAN ROBERT SHAMPAINE ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 21, 1950 UNITED STATES v oFFic CLUTCH FOR SURGICAL TABLES AND THE LIKE 2 Claims.

This invention relates generally to surgical apparatus and, more particularly, to a certain new and useful improvement in clutches for surgical tables and the like.

The invention has for its principal object the provision of clutch means for an operating table or the like in which the table or like structure is provided with a top or body-supporting element comprising a plurality of `sections connected or joined for adjustable articulation for supporting the human body in the many different positions required in various surgical procedures the movement of said sections being optionally controlled by said clutch means.

More specifically, the present invention has for an object the provision of a clutch of the character mentioned, constructed for simplifying and reducing the number of controls heretofore requiring separate and independent manipulation, to the end of facilitating the work of the anesthetist, technician, nurse or other operator in adjusting the top-sections to meet the requirements of the patient.

The invention has for another object the provision of clutch means of the type described whereby all of the controls for the respective topsections are within easy and convenient reach of an operator seated at the head-end of the table, and vsuch that all adjustments may be made by so-called touch control, without visual observation of dials or complicated levers or the use of a multiplicity of sepa-rated controls for each topsection.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully explained in the following description of a preferred embodiment of my invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein- Figure 1 is a fragmental vertical sectional view of the table;

Figure 2 is an enlarged schematic View of a preferred form of drivingr mechanism for the table, constructed in accordance with and embodying my present invention;

Figure 3 is a fragmental transverse sectional view of the driving mechanism taken along line 3--3, of Figure 2;

Figure l is 4a fragmental sectional view of the driving mechanism taken along line 4--4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmental view ofthe pin engagement mechanism forming a part of the present invention.

Referring now more indetail and -by .reference characters to the drawings, the operating table,

as best appears in Figure 1, comprises generally a pedestal I and a jointed or articulated top, which latter, in the present instance, consists of a plurality of individually adjustable sections, namely, back-rest 2, a seat 9, and leg-rest t. In addition to such top-sections, but not specically here shown, there is preferably provided a headrest, formed as a hinged continuation of the backrest 2, a foot-rest formed as a hinged extension of the leg-rest t, and a body elevator or kidney bridge which forms a part of the seat 3.

The pedestal I includes a hollow, generally rectangular base-member 5 having leg formations 6 at rthe four corners thereof for housing concealed coasters (not shown)` The base-member 5 is provided with a hydraulic piston 7, as more fully described and shown in my co-pending applications Serial No. 476,699 now Patent Number 2,416,410, issued Feb. 25, 1947, and No. 599,755, for adjusting the height of the table.

It may be here remarked that a suitable pump (not shown) concealed within the base 51s arranged for actuation as by a pedal 9 and conventionally serves to force suitable uid into the cylinder-space and thereby elevate the pistoni and table-top mounted thereon.

vsuitably bolted to the upper end of the piston l is a trunnion-member I 0 having a pair of upstanding bearing arms II and l2, in which are received the ends of a horizontal axle-shaft i3 for supporting the table-top and pivotally enabling lateral tilting thereof.

The arm I2 is provided with `an inwardly onset extension I4, to which is bolted a sectorshaped worm gear I5, disposed in a vertical plane and extending transversely with reference to th seat 3. A

A stanchion or coupler member I 6 is journalled at its lower end on the axle-shaft I3, so as to permit lateral tilting thereof, and formed on one side of the member I6 above the gear sector l5,V

is a pair of bearing-bosses Il, in which is journalled a transverse shaft I8, keyed on which and meshing-with gear-sector I5 is a lateral tilting worm I9, and adapted to be rotated by means more fully described in myv co-pending applications 'Serial No. 476,699 now U. S. Patent No. 2,416,410, issued Feb. 25, 1947, and No. 590,755.

Formed on the vstanchion member I6 on the side thereof opposite the worm VI9 is .a longitudinally project-ing ange 29, to which is fixed a Worm gear sector y2| meshing with which is a worm 22 carried by the center section .of the table, such worm and .gear assembly, with other agencies more fully described in the above mentioned :3o-pending applications, enabling angular adjustment of the table-top in a longitudinal plane.

The seat-section 3 of the table has a frame structure 23, the members of which are preferably angular in cross-section, and formed integrally with the side members of the frame 23, are depending rigid side panels Zil, that serve to support and shield the control mechanism. At the opposite or anterior end of frame-portion 23, is a preferably integrally formed depending plate 25, from which project a pair of bearing arms 26 whose ends are journalled on shaft I8 for pivotally supporting the center-section 3, which, in turn, as presently fully appears, supports the other sections of the table-top.`

The back-rest 2 and leg-rest section nl, substantially correspond in structure to the centersection 3, in that the sections 2 and 4 also are generally rectangular in plan and have frame structures 2l and 2S respectively, having suitably connected angular side and end members, and it may be here mentioned that the several top sections of the table are preferably constructed of two layers of sheet metal interposed by a layer of a suitable sound-deadening material. Of such sections, the respective bottom layers 29 are preferably formed of steel plates of appropriate thickness to provide for rigidity, and the upper layers Sii are desirably formed of thin sheets of stainless steel or the like and are turned downwardly over the sides and lower margins of the frames, where they are secured for constituting facings for such surfaces.

As best seen Figure l, the back-rest 2 and 1,

leg-rest @i are hingedly connected to the respective opposite margins of the center-section 3 by means of pairs of pintle-joined projecting hingeknuckles 3i and 3?., which latter are preferably integrally formed on the frame-portions 2l, 28.

Projecting inwardly from the side `panel 24, is a pair of suitably spaced bearing-lugs 33 rotarily supporting a shaft 313 projecting downwardly beyond the lower bearing-lug 33. Fixed on the lower end of shaft 34, is a downwardly facing bevel gear 35, and secured between suitable thrust bearings on shaft 35i is a worm .'56, which meshes with a worm sector gear 3l secured on a transverse shaft 38, one end of which is journalled in the side panel 24 and the opposite end in the adjacent bearing arm 26.

A crank-arm or link 39 having its inner end fixed to shaft 38 projects through suitable opening lll in end-plate 25 and is connected Aat its forward end by means of a pivot pin il to a link i2 which is, in turn, pivotally connected by a pin i3 to a bearing cleat M secured tothe under side of back-rest 2. It will now be evident that rotation of worin 36 by its gear 35 will cause shaft V 38 to rotate and actuate crank-arm 39, the backrest 2 raising or lowering with the forward end ofthe crank-arm 39. lt may be observed that the link and bowed shape of crank-arm 39 permit the latter to clear the hinge-knuckle 3l so that the upper body or back-rest section 2 may be fully raised to a vertical or chair position.

Support and adjustment of the leg-section 4 are obtained in much the same manner as described in connection with the back-rest 2. A worin gear i5 is keyed to a vertical shaft 36 journalled in suitably spaced bearing-plates fil, mounted on and projecting from the side panel 2Q. Shaft il@ projects downwardly beyond the lower plate el and has an upwardly facing bevel gear i8 fixed upon its lower end. Atransverse shaft journalled in the side panel 24 is driven from the worm 45 by means of a worm sector gear 5E, and said shaft 49 is operatively connected to the leg-rest 4 by means of a crank-arm 5l, a link 52, pivot pins 53 and 54, and bearing cleat 55.

Selective control and adjustment of the backrest 2 and leg-rest ll are obtained by means which includes a shaft 5S journalled in a bearing-lug 5l for both rotatory and axially shifting movement, and extends rearwardly through a shaft housing 58 bolted or otherwise secured to the depending frame-plate 25. At its rear end the shaft 5S is provided with an enlarged tubular sleeve 5S journalled in a bearing 60 formed in the end wall 6| of the shaft housing 58. Along that portion of its length which is within the bearing 5D, the sleeve 59 is provided with two axially spaced peripheral grooves 62, 63 for shaft positioning engagement with a detent-ball 5f! shiftably mounted in a bore-hole 55 and urged upwardly by means lkof a spring 5t which is in turn held in place by a cap bolt Si. The shaft 56 projects through the sleeve 5S, and on its projecting end provided with a hand-wheel $3, which is conveniently accessible to the left hand of the technician or operator when standing at the head-end of the table. As has been stated, the shaft 5E is adapted for both endwise shifting and rotary movement and at its interior end is provided with two diametral pins 69, lil, located respectively on opposite sides of the plate 57. Also mounted on the shaft 56, outwardly from the pins 69, 'Ml (with respect to the bearing lug 51), are two freely rotatable bevel gears 1l, l2, having peripheral collar plates i3, l, which are in turn, edgewise rotatably engaged in slots l5, 'l5 formed in the opposite ends of a holding-pin 1l, the latter extending through and, at its midsection, secured in the bearing lug 5l as best seen in Figure 3. The holding-pin is of such length that the gears 1|, 'i2 are respectively held in permanent meshing engagement with the gears 138, 35. In their outwardly presented faces, that is to say, the faces which lare vrespectively presented toward the bearing lug El, the collar plates 13, 'Hi are provided with axially projecting, pointed studs 18, 79 each of such length that. when the shaft is in the rearwardli7 shifted position shown in full lines in Figure 2, the stud 19 will be engaged with pin if! and the stud 1S will be disengaged from the pin 69 consequently the worm 36 will be rotated and the back-rest 2 elevated or lowered depending' upon direction of rotation of the hand-wheel 68 and shaft 5e. When desired, the hand wheel 68 and shaft 56 may be quickly andconveniently shifted forwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, whereupon the stud i8 becomes engaged with the pin @e and the stud 'E9 becomes correspondingly disengaged from the pin lf3. As a result, the back-rest 2 remains stationary and the leg-rest Pi is .elevated or lowered depending upon the direction of rotation of the hand wheel 68 and the shaft 56.

Ordinarily the pins 69, l!! will be to one side or the other of the studs 18, 19 so that there will be no interference as the shaft 5G is shifted from one position to the other, and after shifting, the shaft 56 will have to be rotated for some portion of a turn to bring the pin and stud into driving engagement as shown, for example, in Figure Ll. If, by chance, the pin and stud should happen to be in line, no interference would occur due to the pointed end of the stud and the rounded cross-sectional shape of the pin, the stud being automatically rotated to one side or the other as diagrammatically shown in Figure 5.

In this connection it should be noted that the lateral and transverse tilting mechanism more fully described in my co-pending applications Serial No. 476,699 now U. S. Patent No. 2,416,410, issued Feb. 25, 1947, and No. 590,755 are driven from a shaft, hand wheel and gear mechanism substantially identical with that above described in connection with the back-rest 2 and leg-rest i and therefore has not been separately shown or described herein.

Although the clutch of the present invention has been described in conjunction with a surgical table it should be understood that its application is not thereby limited and that such clutches are equally applicable to other types of similar equipment wherein a multiplicity of articulated sections must be optionally driven from a common source of driving movement, and it should also be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the clutch for surgical table or the like may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A mechanical transmission comprising a bearing lug, a shaft extending rotatably and shiftably through the lug, a pair of gears rotatably mounted on the shaft on opposite sides of the lug, means carried by the lug for preventing the gears from shifting toward and away from the lug, and means rigidly mounted upon the shaft between 'the gears for optionally engaging with one or the other of said gears depending upon the shifted position of the shaft.

2. A mechanical transmission comprising a bearing lug, a shaft extending rotatably and shiftable through the lug, a lpair of gears rotatably mounted on the shaft on opposite sides of the lug, said gears each being provided with a peripheral collar plate, a pin extending through and carried by the lug, said pin being provided at its ends with slots slidably engaging said collar plates for preventing the gears from shifting toward and away from the lug, and means rigidly mounted upon the shaft between the gears for optionally engaging with one or the other of said gears depending upon the shifted position of the shaft.

HYMAN ROBERT SHAMPAIN E.

REFERENCES CYTED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 571,964 Adams Nov. 24, 1896 812,903 Tropp Feb. 20, 1906 1,078,840 Druschel Nov. 18, 1913 1,208,746 Cavanagh Dec. 19, 1916 1,497,368 Fries et al June 10, 1924 2,416,419 Shampaine Feb. 25, 1947 

